The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has constituted three sub-groups of the ''Reform Co-ordination Group'' (RCG) to obtain input of experts on modern tax reforms strategy and measures to raise tax-to-GDP ratio. In this connection, FBR issued an office order here on Wednesday.
According to the notification, to achieve the objects and purposes of the FBR as envisaged in section-4 of the FBR Act 2007 a Reform Co-ordination Group has been constituted to assess FBR performance on matters relating to adaptation of modern tax administration strategy and formulation of tax policy to broaden the tax base and to increase revenue and tax to GDP ratio. It has been decided to divide the RCG into three sub-groups including Customs Reform; Income Tax Reform, and Sales Tax and Federal Excise Reform.
After the consent of the members of RCG, the following sub-groups have been formed: Sub group on Customs Reform includes Ahmad Waqar, Shahid Abdullah and Abid Hassan. Sub-group of Income Tax Reform includes Vakil Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi and Muhammad Arshad.
Sub-group of Sales Tax and Federal Excise Reform includes M Abdullah Yusuf, Ali Jameel and Arshad Zuberi. The FBR has requested the sub-groups to submit their reforms related proposals by August 25, 2010. These reform proposals will be deliberated upon in the second meeting of RCG to be held once the proposals are received, the FBR added.
Reform Co-ordination Group shall comprise members including Shahid Hafeez Kardar, M Abdullah Yousaf, Ahmad Waqar, Vakil Ahmad Khan, Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad, Shahid Abdullah, Arshad Zuberi, Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi, Abid Hassan and Ali Jameel. The notification further said that the members of the Reform Co-ordination Group are honorary and are not liable to draw any salary. The Strategic Planning and Statistics Wing of the FBR will be the Secretariat of the Reform Co-ordination Group, notification added.